Crisis will not stop Kalashnikov rifle production in Venezuela

Rosoboronexport will fulfil its contracts to produce Kalashnikov rifles in Venezuela despite the crisis in the country, the arms trader said. "Rosoboronexport always fulfils its commitments. The commissioning plans for the facilities have been specified and nothing will stop the implementation in the agreed time," it said.

Kalashnikov AK-103 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The facility to produce automatic rifles is built in the framework of a contract signed in June 2006. Venezuela has to master full licensed production of AK-103 and the enterprise will produce close to 25,000 assault rifles a year. Cartridge production will exceed 50 million units a year.

In December 2016, then Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said the enterprises will operate in full swing in 2019. The deadline was confirmed by the Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez after talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu in April 2018.